


Deszeo Can't Sleep.

by 3rd_r8_rightr



Series: The Adventures Of Sohelbi And Deszeo. [6]
Category: Guild Wars 2 (Video Game), Guild Wars Series (Video Games)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-17
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-11-15 03:05:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11221971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3rd_r8_rightr/pseuds/3rd_r8_rightr
Summary: Deszeo can't sleep, but Sohelbi is there to help him out.





	Deszeo Can't Sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't posted a bit since I ran into a small problem! I started playing the game two years ago, around the time season two had ended and Heart of Thorns was on the way, so I actually only have a few key dates that happened between 1324 AE and a major date in 1326 AE that'll be the end of this arc, so I need to figure out how to space these fics out to keep everything moving smoothly!
> 
> Anyways, don't expect combat/ fighting in a fic anytime soon since I'm horrible at writing those kinds of scene. When 1326 AE rolls around, I'll have a nice plot for that as well as a third arc for 1328/9 AE/ Heart of Thorns! 
> 
> Also--quick sylvari headcanon: I'm almost positive no sylvari is fazed by casual nudity because it's my understanding they're a very social race--living, studying, eating, bathing with one another while they stay in the Grove. Also, who doesn't like skinny dipping in a fanfic?
> 
> Edit 28 June 2017: Updated Sohelbi's name.
> 
> Edit 26 July 2017: Changed some dialog and restructured some sentences to flow better.

**62 Zephyr, 1324 AE**

"… _Desz_?"

Deszeo stops playing with his lighter for a moment. From the rock he's sitting on, he turns around and sees Sohelbi emerging from their geomancy-made tent. He rubs his eyes, still practically sleeping.

"Is everything okay…?" Sohelbi asks, sounding groggy.

"Oh—hey. Yeah… I'm… okay," he looks away to go back to playing with his lighter.

Sohelbi blinks before he steps on the soft earth towards Deszeo, "Are you… _sure_ …?" sounding a little more awake.

Deszeo smiles, sighing through his nose, "… No, not really…" he says in a little voice.

Sohelbi eyes Deszeo's lighter. It has fuel this time, so a small flame glows in his hands when lit, but extinguishes itself when the top closes down. Deszeo's gaze focuses on the flames.

"… Do you want to talk about it?"

Deszeo takes a breath, "I'm sorry—I don't want to worry you, I just…" he chuckles, sounding a little embarrassed, "I had a bad dream, I guess. It's… stupid, really." 

"My people's entire culture revolves around _a_ Dream…" Sohelbi, at Deszeo's side, leans against the rock, "I don't know what could silly about having a bad one."

"Alright, then hop on," Deszeo scoots over to give Sohelbi some space to sit (which he accepts) and takes a moment to gather himself: "It's… Well…" he thinks of a way to start and after a moment: "… When my pops passed away, he told me something that I guess has always stuck with me."

Sohelbi nods, listening.

He lights his lighter, "He told me," and he begins to imitate his father's voice (not that Sohelbi would know, never having heard him speak), " _'Son, if you ever feel alone, or scared, or lost… Just remember—the flame from this lighter? It's me, lighting the way and keeping you safe. You'll never be alone because I'll be there to guide you, no matter where you go,'_ " he clears his throat.

" _That's beautiful,_ " Sohelbi comments quietly.

Deszeo smirks, "Thanks… Well—I… had a dream just now and… I don't know how to explain it, but… it left me feeling _alone_ ," he moves his shoulders a bit, "I don't know why, though. Here I am, camping with my friend—this _great_ guy—under all this pretty moon and starlight in this gorgeous, humid jungle, but I just felt so… _alone_ when I woke up. I couldn't even fall back asleep."

Sohelbi nods again…

Deszeo realizes what he just said and adds, "I-It's nothing personal—"

"No, no—I understand. Honestly. Those kinds of feelings are complicated," Sohelbi reassures, "I know exactly where you're coming from, though."

Deszeo takes another breath, "It's just… I think I dreamt about pops… Like… He was right there, in front of me, but… he wasn't? He was so… far at the same time. He was so far away, and… I don't think he was okay," Deszeo swallows and sniffs, "It's been—" he tries to lighten the mood and laughs a little "—a while since I've dreamt about my old man. Then out of nowhere, I see him so… weak and hurt and… there's nothing…" he takes a stuttering breath, "Nothing I-I can do. Just… Just like all those years ago…" he stops fidgeting with his lighter and puts his hands on his lap, pressing his teeth together just a bit.

" _Desz_ ," Sohelbi puts his hand on one of Deszeo's, gripping it a little, " _Wherever_ he may be, I know he's okay… Whether he's with Dwayna, Balthzar, or any of the others, I'm sure he's fine, and still watching over you, keeping you safe… This dream—perhaps… there's another meaning to it?"

Deszeo sniffs again and makes himself smile, " _You_ would definitely know all about dreaming, huh?" he teases.

Sohelbi smiles back, "I _am_ sylvari," he removes his hand and keeps them at his sides, pressed against the rock.

After thinking, Deszeo starts up, "I really wish I could look at it like that… This dream, it… it felt…" he taps his fingers, unable to find the words, "For a moment after I woke up, I thought it… it had actually happened? Like it was a memory?"

"… Would you like me to take you to a mender in the morning?" Sohelbi offers, sounding concerned for the mesmer.

" _Mender_?" Deszeo asks.

"They're sylvari—they study the use of magic and alchemy to heal and take care of us, everyday sylvari. They also assist with things on the mind and in the spirit… A lot of times, a mender is what keeps a sylvari from falling to the Nightmare. They also have other duties—tending to pods, helping saplings awaken, guiding their first few steps into the world. They don't… typically tend to humans, but, they're great people to talk to," Sohelbi explains, "I could put in a good word for you, maybe get someone to sit down with you?"

Deszeo thinks, "… Maybe… I… I think this is okay for now though, if you don't mind me dumping all this on you," Deszeo sounds a little bitter at himself. He won't say it, but he feels bad right now—it was his idea for him and Sohelbi to stay out in the jungle, camping, but here he is, instead keeping the sylvari up when Sohelbi could be sleeping. 

"That's perfectly alright and don't worry about me, okay?"

"Yeah…"

They sit there, together, on their rock. Their tent behind them, a body of water in front of them. The light reflecting off of it illuminates the area beautifully. Sohelbi's own sylvari bioluminescence adds more cool and soft light. Deszeo glances at his glowing. He also won't admit how he's blown away by seeing Sohelbi glow like that.  

"… Hey…"

"Yes?"

"… Where… do sylvari think they go when they die…?" Deszeo asks, looking to Sohelbi.

Sohelbi blinks, "Well… … _Hm_ ," and he shrugs, "That's… a good question, but I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I don't. I know what my parents taught me about The Six and when humans die… Sylvari… Well… I know the story of Riannoc, but… that's only a story—I wasn't awake, yet."

" _Riannoc_?"

"Riannoc was my older brother—well—not—"

"No, I know what you mean," Deszeo has gotten use to Sohelbi talking about his sylvari family

"Okay—good—yes, he was my brother. It goes that he was a Firstborn who didn't fear anything—including death. Thinking about it, I don't think anyone did at that time, really, since… we didn't know _what_ death _was_. Yet, cruelly, he was the first of my kind to die."

"The _first_ sylvari to die? _Ever_?"

"Yes. The other Firstborns, the Secondborns—even Mother… They've talked about it here and there, but… they all say similar things about how they all felt it the moment it happened."

"How?"

" _The Dream_. It…" Sohelbi looks around, "It's kind of like this water here. It fills this sort of space and it's always there, even if we're not, but we're connected to it? Well—almost all of us, but that gets complicated," he quickly adds, "Anyways—they all felt as though they had lost a part of themselves when Riannoc fell. As if the Dream _itself_ was no longer whole... Eventually, some of them say they one day found what was missing and felt whole again. Maybe… Riannoc just found his way back to the Dream after all that time. Maybe that's what happens when all Dreamers die—we just… return to the Dream. We all just go… back… into the water…"

A moment of silence between them…

"That's heavy," Deszeo states.

"Yes, very," Sohelbi agrees, as he tucks a headleaf behind a pointed ear, recovering from having blown his own mind and questioning his place in the world, "Did it help though?"

Deszeo blinks, "… Actually, it did. Yeah."

Sohelbi smiles.

"Wow—why aren't you a mender?" Deszeo asks, "You're good at this."

Sohelbi waves him off, "I spent most of my life among humans. I liked to read and learn about them. I pray to the Six. I don't think I'd fit in."

"Well, _I_ think you'd be a _wonderful_ mender."

"Oh, well thank you."

Deszeo stands up and sighs.

"Are you feeling good enough to get back to sleep?" Sohelbi pats the rock.

"Oh, Six, no. No, that dream is still on my mind—but… not as bad as it was. I guess I just needed to get it out there and I needed to hear what you told me. I think I just need a distraction right now…" he looks around and has an 'ah-ha!' moment, before casually removing his shirt and placing it on the rock besides Sohelbi.

Sohelbi looks confused, "Wait, what are you doing?"

"I think I'm going to take a dip in the Dream over there," he nods as he removes his pants putting them on his short.

"At this hour?"

"Why not? It'll be nice to just… think and relax. I came out here to have a nice time and hang out with you, but all I did was get worked up by a nightmare and make you worry."

"Desz, that's no problem, really. I'm actually glad you can talk to me about this kind of stuff."

"Thanks… Oh—I'm losing these, by the way," he points to his underwear.

"Oh no, nudity in the darkness," Sohelbi deadpans and laughs. Deszeo takes them off as well and turns his attention to the water. Sohelbi watches as Deszeo walks to its edge. Deszeo slowly makes his way in, commenting on how cold it feels, but he gets use to it. He swims just a little bit before maneuvering himself to float on his back.

Sohelbi lies back on a bit, starting to think about what he said, but before he gets in too deep, Deszeo pulls him out: "The Dream feels pretty good," he calls out and waves to Sohelbi.

" _Mother_ , it is too early for this," Sohelbi comments to himself, giggling.

"Come join me! Tell me more stories! About your siblings!" Deszeo beckons.

Sohelbi sighs, "Are you sure? If I tell you the story of my brother Malomedies, you'll cry," he stands and walks to the water, slipping into it like it's nothing (and as an aquamancer, he secretly feels inside his natural habitat).

"Oh, don't tell me that one then. Tell me something happy."

"Then let me tell you about my sister, Niamh," Sohelbi swims a small distance to meet Deszeo, before he casually and effortlessly floats next to him, "She single-handedly founded and started the closest thing to a military we have."

"Six, really?"

" _Mhmm_."

"Okay, let's hear it," Deszeo tunes in.  

And they float atop the water, with Sohelbi recounting the story of Niamh, the first Warden. Deszeo's mind is no longer replaying his dream over and over at this point, and he's actually starting to feel much better. Now there's something else that's on his mind— _how Sohelbi's sylvari bioluminescence illuminates the water in a way the moon can't._


End file.
